Sid Meier’s Civilization 7is set to be the long-awaited continuation of a beloved series that’s helped to define the landscape of strategy games since the first game released over three decades ago.EveryCivilizationgame yet releasedis focused around the standard “4X” elements —eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate— which challenge players to lead their civilization to a promising future through any and all of these methods. Racing to war can often be the most enticing option, but it’s also possible to achieve victory through developing culture or leaping ahead in science.
The other core defining aspect ofCivilizationis its focus on cultures from human history, which can be guided from their infancy all the way to the modern age and the future beyond. Overall development also roughly mimics the march of progress, with technology and religion following a basic linearity that can be adjusted along different paths. It’s all much more divorced from actual history than something likeEuropa Universalis, but the basic framework makes it easily accessible in a way that many other 4X games can’t quite recapture.
When Civilization 7 Is Expected To Release
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7was officially revealed in a teaser trailer at 2024’sSummer Game Fest, and later was given an official release date during the Gamescom Opening Night Live broadcast. The highly anticipated game isset to be released on August 18, 2025. This will conclude a nine-year wait since the release ofCivilization 6, marking the longest gap between games in the series by a significant margin. This will be the first time in theCivilizationfranchise that it will feature a simultaneous release across all of its platforms.
Will Civ 7 Be Better For Casual Players?
Sid Meier’s Civilization games can be pretty overwhelming with the amount of strategy involved, but perhaps Civ 7 will make it more approachable.
Civ 7will also include anew narrator for the game, Gwendoline Christie. Christie is taking over the role fromCivilization 6’s Sean Bean. Earlier games featured voice work by Leonard Nimoy, William Morgan Sheppard, and more. Narration and quotations have become an integral part of the series, and are often something that many players look forward to with the announcement of a new title.
Civilization 7 Platforms, Prices, And Editions Available For Pre-Order
Civilization 7 Has A Lot Of Options At Varied Price Points
Although the mainlineCivilizationseries spent its time as PC-exclusive strategy games for much of its history, the franchise has more recently expanded to consoles, andCivilization 7is doubling down on that approach.Civilization 7will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switchwith a simultaneous release on all systems.
The game will also include crossplay support for those who wish to play with friends on other systems through the use of a 2K account. Platforms used in crossplay may cause limitations on the number of players that can join the game at one time, however.
Several editions ofCivilization 7are currently available for pre-order, including the expensiveFounders Edition which includes various cosmetics and access to post-launch content with new civilizations, leaders, natural wonders, and more.
$69.99
$99.99
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 Founders Edition
$129.99
Each edition is priced at $10 less on the Nintendo Switch.
Mouse and keyboard controls tend to be the most intuitive fit for 4X gameplay, but it’s definitely nice to have options. Being able to take theCivilizationexperienceon the go with the Switchis a particularly appealing option, especially at a cheaper price, although the quality may suffer on the older system.
All Announced Leaders Available In Civilization 7 At Launch
Leaders Are No Longer Tied To Any Specific Civilization
Civilization 7changes a lot of the basic gameplay mechanics that longtime players of the series have come to expect, includingallowing any leader to be played over any civilization.Naturally, there are still some historical choices for countries, but historical accuracy is not as important as allowing players to have fun and mix things up in this edition of the game.
At the time of writing, there are still some unannounced leaders that are yet to come, and even more that will be arriving in future DLC forCiv 7. The current known lineup is as follows:
All Announced Civilizations Available In Civilization 7 At Launch
Civilizations Are Tied To Three Different Ages Which Players Can Progress Through
Additionally, there aredifferent civilizations announced for each of the three Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern. Players can either enjoy a long game that covers all three Ages and take their people through a variety of paths of civilizations, orhave shorter gameswith only one of the three Ages experienced. This system of Ages is designed to allow players to experience the gradual evolution of civilizations over different periods of history and provide more of a natural flow of development.
There are many arguments about the effect theAges system has on the historical accuracyof the game, asplayers will choose a new civilization to be for each Age. Yet it will also create a new strategic approach to mix things up for players as they think ahead to what they want their civilizations to be or have in the future. Each Age is estimated to take between 150 and 200 turns, which will still provide plenty of time to experience one culture before moving to another, particularly in a game where turns can be quite long at times.
Civilization 7’s Ages System Has One Major Problem That Only DLC Can Fix
Civilization 7 has changed its approach to civilizations which has proven controversial, but it’s main issue is how it impacts the early game.
Modern Age civilizations are still being revealedas the last to be announced, so many of these are still unknown at the time of writing, but it is expected that each of the Ages will feature at least ten civilizations to choose from, with more to be added in future content releases. The following are all currently revealed civilizations for each era of gameplay:
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Spain
The return of theCivilizationseries promises to bring exciting changes and a more player-focused game style.Civilization 7will still deliver plenty of 4X possibilities, and it stands the chance of becoming another definitive entry in the genre.
